A Life Together

I met Davo and Daughter a few years ago when I was working in a crisis accommodation service in Melbourne. At that time they were sleeping rough on the streets. And yet, even after they found permanent accommodation they continued to live their ‘streetie’ lifestyle. This inspired me because it contradicts many common assumptions about homelessness.

Davo and Daughter have also remained fiercely loyal to each other during their life together. Though the audience may not expect it from them, their relationship becomes an example we may all learn from. This enduring love and their atypical ideas about happiness and contentment motivated me to present Davo and Daughter in a way that is contrary to the persistent trend of “poverty porn” which often misrepresents marginalised people and minorities as people who share white middle-class aspirations. I decided to highlight the commonalities between the couple and mainstream society rather than the differences so the audience might avoid expressions of pity in favour of genuine insight and empathy.